The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
M.G.L.A. Chapter 119, section 23, Line two shall be amended by adding after the word agencies the following,
Prior to placing the child in a long term foster placement and accepting a transfer of care and custody, the department shall commence a search to locate any non-respondent parent of the child and shall conduct an immediate investigation to locate relatives of the child, including all of the child's grandparents, all suitable relatives identified by either and any relative identified by a child over the age of five as a relative who plays or has played a significant positive role in his or her life, and to inform them of the opportunity for becoming foster parents or for seeking custody or care of the child, and that the child may be adopted by foster parents if attempts at reunification with the birth parent are not required or are unsuccessful; and to determine whether the child may appropriately be placed with a suitable person related to the child and whether such relative seeks approval as a foster parent pursuant to this chapter for the purposes of providing care for such child, or wishes to provide care and custody for the child until the parent or other person responsible for the care of the child is able to resume custody; and identify minor siblings or half-siblings of the child and to determine whether such siblings or half-siblings have been or are being transferred to the care and custody of such official. Such official shall provide or arrange for the provision of care so as to permit the child and his or her minor siblings or half-siblings to be placed together unless, in the judgment of such official, such placement would be contrary to the best interests of the children.